1) Jesus is central in ALL things,
Therefore, we are committed to making Jesus the goal and the main character of our teaching.
2) Children must learn to love and fear (awe, reverence) Jesus,
Therefore, we are committed to not only teaching the biblical truths of Jesus, but we are committed to do everything that we can do to reach the very hearts of our children with the Gospel of Jesus.
3) The responsibility for teaching children about Jesus belongs to parents,
Therefore, we are committed to equipping parents, helping them in their God given role and responsibility.
Here is the actual covenant:
This covenant we make – we make together by God’s great grace, and should we be able to keep it – we recognize that this too we do by His great Grace and Mercy.
God's Word tells us in Psalm 127:3,
Children are a gift of the Lord;the fruit of the womb is his reward.(Psalm 127:3)
Parents,
1. Do you today recognize these children as gifts of God and give thanks to God for his blessing?
DO YOU? (We Do)
2. Parents, Do you recognize today that Jesus is Central in all things pertaining to life and godliness and do you pledge (by God’s Grace) today to make Him the center of what you teach your children?
DO YOU? (We Do)
3. Do you recognize today that more than morality your child must be taught to love and honor Jesus?
Do You? (We Do)
4. Do you pledge, therefore, to teach more than morality or lists of do’s and don’ts to your child – instead – do you pledge to seek to turn the heart of your child to love and honor Jesus? DO YOU? (We Do)
5. Parents, Do you promise, God helping you, to make it your regular prayer that, by God's grace, your children will come to trust in Jesus Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins and for the fulfillment of all his promises to them, even eternal life; and in this faith follow Jesus as Lord and obey his teachings?
Do You? (We Do)
Parents, this is a great covenant that you are entering into today before God and your church community, BUT you do not enter alone. You have been saved to a COMMUNITY – to a larger family. And it is this community – the community of the local body – that God designed as an aid to you. In Titus we see that older women are to be involved in the lives of younger women – teaching them how to love their children. Likewise older men should instruct younger men. We – the local church should be your encouragement, your support, your accountability, your instructors, your partners in the great task of rearing children. So, these last questions are for the entire New City family.
(Everyone committed to this church – if you would, please stand)
1) Church, do you commit today (by God’s Grace) to live as a community of believers, followers of Jesus Christ?
Do You? (We Do)
2) As a community of believers, before God and these families, do you commit to:
making Jesus Central in All things, and do you also commit to strive to turn the hearts of our New City Children to love and honor Jesus?
Do You? (We Do)
3) Do you covenant today with these parents, and all of our parents to be an encouragement, a support, an instructor, and a partner in the great task of rearing Jesus loving Children?
Do You? (We Do)
WORDS OF DEDICATION
"Ethan, Harrison, Caleb, Elijah and Asa, together with your parents, who love you dearly, and this people who care about the outcome of your faith, I dedicate you to God, surrendering together with them all worldly claims upon your life, in the hope that you will belong wholly to God for ever."
Response to the service has been incredible. I pray for our NCCd parents and kids. I pray that we would see a generation of children come up with hearts in love with Jesus!
* We gave our covenant parents, and any other parent who wanted one a great tool to help them teach their children about Jesus - The Jesus Storybook Bible. It is the only children's Bible Storybook that I have ever seen that views all of Scripture through Jesus. NCCd parents, if you didn't get a copy Sunday, please pick one up this week.
